NEL is leading a major research programme that will enhance flow measurement standardisation across Europe between multiphase flow metrology testing facilities. The new three-year project is part of the European Metrology Programme for Innovation and Research (EMPIR), the main European programme for the scientific study of measurement.

Multiphase flow measurement is a fundamental enabling capability in subsea oil and gas production. However, field measurements continue to exhibit high measurement uncertainty, which is costing the oil and gas industry billions of dollars each year in financial exposure and production inefficiencies. MultiFlowMet II will develop a reference measurement capability that is consistent and comparable across the different multiphase flow measurement test laboratories, to improve industry confidence in these essential measurements.

Dr David Crawford, NEL, is the project co-ordinator and said: “The lack of standardised facilities and procedures for testing multiphase flow meters has led to test result variances between laboratories. This project aims to harmonise multiphase flow measurements to better support efficient subsea exploration of new oil and gas reserves, by boosting confidence in both the measurement system and the meters that labs are testing. The project is vital to the future development of oil and gas production as it will drive improvements and enhance confidence in multiphase flow measurement.”

To achieve harmonisation, the research team will roll-out an extended intercomparison testing programme. This will involve the design and provision of a mobile instrumentation suite that can be moved to multiple laboratories in order to enable comparison measurements to be taken. The project is also designed to gain an understanding of the factors that influence multiphase flow measurements, such as the geometrical features of each laboratory and the structure of the flow that develops in each set of flow conditions.

About EMPIR

The European Metrology Programme for Innovation and Research (EMPIR) has been developed as an integrated part of Horizon 2020, the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.

Horizon 2020 aims to reinforce and extend the excellence of the EU's science base and to consolidate the European Research Area in order to make the research and innovation system more competitive on a global scale.

The EMPIR calls, launched between 2014 and 2020, have an allocated total budget of 600 M €, with 300 M € from the participating states and up to 300 M € from the European Commission, using Article 185 of the European Treaty.

EMPIR Joint Research Projects (JRPs) from these calls will focus on priority areas, known as Targeted Programmes (TPs), to address the EU's Grand Challenges in Health, Energy, Environment and Industry, and to progress fundamental measurement science.